Rebound
by BlondieBombshell
Summary: Ryan and Marissa provide each other with a little relaxation. But will it progress into more?
1. Chapter 1

This is RM. Reviews would be greatly appreciated.

**Rebound**

**Chapter 1**

A thick veil of smoke permeated the very walls of the rather vulgar establishment she had just entered. Oblivious to the foul odour, Marissa staggered towards the nearest bar stool, collapsed, and ordered a straight vodka on the rocks. It had been a good day. She mumbled incoherently to herself already fairly intoxicated, only venturing so far as the bar due to her flats current alcohol shortage.

Her drink arrived and she proceeded to drown her miseries in the translucent liquid gulp by gulp. She thrust her delicate digits in to the bowl of nuts and had almost placed them between her lips, despite the slight off-colouring and suspicious smell, when a gruff looking man slumped down beside her, capturing her attention. He was unshaven and his dark blonde hair projected from his head in a most unnatural way. The flame behind his eyes extinguished and the sparkle in his smile dampened. His hands, large and rough, clasped together on the surface of the bar and he twisted his thumbs in an out of his tightly clenched fist. Marissa fiddled nervously with the nut shells scattered on the bar top and downed the remaining traces of her drink.

The man spoke in a raspy, deep voice, "Jack Daniels please, on the rocks." His eyes still boring holes in the surface top.

"I'll have the same." He surfaced from his trance and raised his head for the first time to look at the owner of the voice. He was pleasantly surprised, despite his situation, when his sunken eyes were met with a doe-eyed young woman with long dirty blonde tresses and plump, kissable lips. She, however, seemed to be as equally miserable as he. She fumbled with the drink as it was served to her and then proceeded to knock back the icy beverage in one, the fractured ice cubes colliding with her teeth with faint clashes.

"Sorry. It just sounded perfect right about now."

"Trust me I know what you mean." He, too, imbibed the drink quickly. She, however, was a lot further gone than he, but that was about to change.

"Bad day?" She turned her body to face him whilst ordering yet another drink.

He let out a mordant snigger, "You could say that." His snigger was rapidly replaced with a frown. Raising his eyes to meet the stranger's, "I'm Ryan."

"Hi." Came her short reply, with a not-so-short smirk on her face. She had decided that he would help her feel better and she had also decided that she may return the favour as well.

"Hi." Silence. Such conversationalists they were. "Are you going to tell me your name? I'm not really feeling up to playing games today."

"Marissa."

"Marissa. It suits you."

"I know."

"...OK"

"Look Ryan, I'm gonna be straight with you. I'm miserable, lonely and quite drunk. But, I'd quite like to get to know you. You seem to be all of those attractive qualities and more, no offence, and I think it could benefit us both if we did… get to know each other…if you know what I mean." Marissa slightly slurred.

Ryan sat. Mildly shocked at the heartbroken, now slightly blurred woman beside him who, at least he thought, had just offered herself to him. "Ummm, OK," came his feeble reply. To be honest, he felt rather timid, and this, for Ryan Attwood, was a rare occurrence.

"Good. Would you like to buy me a drink, I'm starting to get my better judgement back, and that, I can tell you, is not good."

* * *

After several more rounds of drinks, Marissa back on the vodka now, the flowing conversation had reached a new all-time intellectual low. 

"Noooo, I'm telling you. Iss true, iss true! In Auustralia, the toilets, they flush the other waayyy!" Ryan's eyes were glazed and he was now centimetres away from Marissa, who, incidentally, was laughing hysterically at his last comment, resulting in her gently resting her forehead against his. They both had made a mutual but drunken decision that they would not discuss why they so happened to be in the bar, not wanting to surface bad feelings, but enjoy the new ones they evoked in each other. Ryan, whose hand was resting on her knee, danced his fingers further up to relax on her thigh. His other hand clasped around her waist. The moment, in its hilarity, had intensified as they looked into each others eyes.

"Ryan." Marissa breathed. "My apartment's not very far from here, and its late, and I'm drunk. Do you think you could walk me home?" Their lips brushed together as the delicate words were spoken.

Ryan visibly swallowed and cleared his throat, eyes half-mast, "sure. I'll get your coat."

They sauntered out of the bar, albeit not in a straight-line, and slightly stumbled in the direction of Marissa's apartment, touching at every opportunity.

* * *

They crashed through the door into the wall adorned with photographs of loved ones and unloved ones. Ryan pinned Marissa against the wall, kissing furiously, tongues mingling and hands everywhere. Ryan, again, danced his fingers up her thigh as she began to nibble on his ear, breathing heavily. They clumsily shuffled towards the nearest door, still kissing. Marissa fumbled with the door handle and the two, still very drunk, hastily entered the bedroom, the door slamming shut behind them. 


	2. Chapter 2

_Sorry for the delay in posting. I have a load of exams coming up that aren't going to end any time soon. So please bear with me and I'll post as often as possible. Thank you and enjoy. _

_Don't own anything or anything blah_.

**Chapter 2**

_Ohhh my head. _Marissa groggily resurfaced from a deep slumber, one she would rather dwell in than her current state of reality. Stretching like a cat awoken too soon, limbs reaching for the opposite corner of the bed, she was rudely interrupted by another body blocking her path. Jolting back with a gasp she leapt from the bed to see who currently occupied it, only to leap back into the warm folds of the sheets when she realised she was completely naked. _This is not good_.

"Ohhhh my HEAD!" The man had roused and began pushing his head deep into the pillows, as if that was going to eradicate his thumping headache.

Marissa quickly scuttled out of the room, grabbing an oversized jumper on the way. Stumbling through the hallway, very hung over, she gasped for coffee. Deciding to put on a pot for the rather gorgeous stranger currently sprawled out in _her_ bed. _Wow, that sure doesn't happen very often. _It was a welcome relief to worry about something else for a change instead of her current predicament plaguing her every waking thought. She'd deal with that another time. Sipping leisurely from her steaming cup of coffee, she reached for the nearest Rolling Stone magazine and flicked through the pages impatiently until she found an article of interest. Just as she was settling down to read it, she heard shuffling coming from her bedroom followed by moans. The man was on the move. _Okay just act natural, normal. Just be normal. Oh god he has no shirt!_

A topless Ryan, with his baggy jeans clinging low to his hip bones, nervously shuffled into the kitchen where Marissa sat frantically sipping her coffee, drowning in a grey Harvard sweatshirt.

"Morning" He mumbled.

Marissa squeaked out a reply and offered him a mug of coffee which his eager hands and throbbing head welcomed without hesitation. They sat in relative silence. Ryan nervously fiddled with his calloused thumbs as Marissa twisted her thick, luxurious hair into delicate golden ringlets around her finger.

"So…. I don't really do this much."

"What? Sit awkwardly in kitchens?"

"Umm, no the whole one night stand thing. I was just…upset…pissed off and well…drunk so…" Marissa tried to reason but discovered it increasingly exigent as she began to remember what had occurred between them last night. They had connected, albeit in some drunken, hazy kind of way. And as Marissa was trying to get rid of this strange but beautiful man before her, she found herself wishing she didn't always have to follow the rules, clean up after her _mistakes _or those imposed upon her.

"Actually," she continued, "I had a good time last night." She declared triumphantly.

Ryan sighed in relief, positive he was going to be kicked out on his arse sooner than he could say: "Do you want to go out with me again?" _Oh shit. I said it out loud._

Marissa stared at him, slightly taken aback by his outburst. _Actually, maybe rules were OK after all. I'm not ready._

"Ummm…I…I don't know… I mean…I had fun but…I've got a lot of shit going on right now… I don't want to... " She sighed. _This is going nowhere_

"No that's Ok. I get it…I'll just…leave…then."

"I'm sorry...Sorry." Marissa couldn't look him in the eye.

"It's fine." And with that, he gathered his coat and shirt and left.

* * *

Marissa sat morosely, for some time after, starring at the door he had just departed from. A million and one thoughts buzzed within her, picking up speed with every second. She remained in her trance until the shrill sound of her phone broke the silence. She reached for it and began speaking. 

"Hello." Her voice was raspy and deep. As soon as the identity of the caller was revealed she felt anger re-enter her system. "I don't care! Do you know how much I've lost and am going to lose because of this, because of you!...I'm gonna…I'm gonna have to lose my apartment...!" She was losing her patience as well.

"I have no fucking money. I was so close to it as well!" Silence as the other person spoke.

"You want me to plan the funeral too…well it's not like I don't have the time." Tears were beginning to fall down her smooth face and anchor on her frown. "Look. Fine. OK. I'll do it…Just leave me alone." Marissa hung up and buried her face deep into the Harvard sweater and sobbed. Loud, gut-wrenching cries echoed off the walls as she succumbed to her sadness.

* * *

Walking briskly, as fast as possible away from the apartment building, Ryan wiped his tired face with his large, rough hands. That was just what he needed; another rejection; more heartbreak. He came to a sudden stop. Still in the middle of the path, annoyed looking people on their way to work dodging him, as he stood, staring at the sky and wondering how much more he could take. 

He swiftly walked the rest of the way to his apartment, passing the bar on the way. On entering his flat, he collapsed against the door, sliding to the floor in a crumpled heap. He clutched hi wary head in wary hands, as the full weight of the situation settled comfortably on his shoulders; ordering room service because it was going to be there for a while.

From the corner of his eye he noticed the flashing red light, indicating that he had messages. He shuffled over to the machine and listened intently as the voices began to spew their useless information.

"Hello Mr Attwood, I'm just phoning about the magazine subscription…" Next.

"Ummm…Hi Ryan. It's me….I'm really…sorry. I'm sorry OK. Just give me a chance o explain and maybe we could be friends or something…" Friends. She wanted to be friends. "Look, what you saw…I wasn't doing it to hurt you… I just wasn't happy. I'm really sorry you had to find out like that. I'm sorry. Call me. Please. Bye"

Ryan's day had officially hit rock bottom. He lay flat on the cold wood floor and simply basked in his misery. He had no intent on moving either.


End file.
